THIRTY-SEVEN schools in Gwent have reported positive coronavirus cases among pupils or staff, with hundreds of children having to self isolate for two weeks.

The big return to school across Wales began less than three weeks ago - but one of the effects of the rising number of cases of coronavirus is an increasing number of empty classrooms.

Caerphilly - which has been in a local lockdown for more than a week - is the worst affected council area in Gwent, registering almost half (19) of the total number of schools to record positive cases.

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In Newport, eleven schools have reported positive tests since returning.

The most recent of these is St Joseph’s RC High School, where Year 8 pupils were asked to self-isolate on Thursday, just over a week after Year 7 pupils were told to do the same when a first positive case was recorded at the school on September 9.

In Torfaen, five schools have been affected by positive cases.

Two classes at Coed Eva Primary are self-isolating, as are a Year 3 class at Maendy Primary and a class at Woodlands Community Primary. Ysgol Panteg recorded a case among staff before pupils returned, meaning the children are unaffected.

Tredegar Comprehensive and Ebbw Fawr Learning Community are the only schools in Blaenau Gwent where pupils are self-isolating. Four pupils tested positive at Tredegar Comprehensive, and one tested positive at Ebbw Fawr.

The council has also confirmed that as of Monday September 14, 20 members of staff across schools in Blaenau Gwent were self-isolating, as was a pupil at an unnamed primary school - however as they had not been back in school, no other pupils needed to self-isolate.

No schools in Monmouthshire have pupils self-isolating as a result of recording a positive test.

The following schools in Gwent have pupils self isolating due to coronavirus cases since they returned:

Newport

Primary: Eveswell Primary, St Gabriel's RC Primary, Malpas Park Primary, Pentrepoeth Primary, and Millbrook Primary, Charles Williams CIW Primary and St Woolos Primary.

Secondary: Lliswerry High, St Joseph's RC High, St Julians High, and Newport High.

Torfaen

Primary: Ysgol Panteg, Woodlands Community Primary, Coed Eva Primary, Maendy Primary, and Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran.

Secondary: None.

Blaenau Gwent

Primary: None.

Secondary: Tredegar Comprehensive School, and Ebbw Fawr Learning Community.

Caerphilly

Primary: Idris Davies 3-18 School, St Cenydd School, Bedwas Infants, Bedwas Junior, Cwrt Rawlin Primary, Hendredenny Park Primary, Llanfabon Infants, Risca Primary, St Gwladys Bargoed School, St Helens Catholic Primary, Tyn-y-Wern Primary, Ysgol Gymraeg Trelyn, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Y Castell, and Ystrad Mynach Primary.

Secondary: Bedwas High School, Blackwood Comprehensive, Heolddu Comprehensive, Lewis Girls Comprehensive, Lewis School in Pengam.

Monmouthshire

Primary: None.

Secondary: None.